This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject and investigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source, and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed is for the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator. Molecular Biology and Tissue Engineering (MBTE) Core Facility The MBTE core facility consists of two components, Molecular Biology (MB) and Tissue Engineering (TE). The core facility was created at the College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (COPHS) to support biomedical research activities. The purpose of the MBTE core facility is to maintain and enhance the existing molecular biology and 2-dimensional (2-D) cell culture component (MB);and to develop and establish a new tissue engineering section (TE) component that supports 3-dimensional (3-D) tissue-equivalent cell culture technology to provide biomedical researchers at TSU with state-of-the-art molecular biology and cell culture research infrastructure. The specific aims of the MBTE core facility are to: 1. Continue to provide the technical and hands-on support services in molecular biology and 2- dimensional cell culture, and requisite instrumentation to TSU investigators. 2. Add a new tissue engineering (TE) section to establish a complex 3-D tissue-equivalent in vitro model system and provide technical support services to TSU faculty and graduate students interested in utilizing this technology in their biomedical research. 3. Create a stimulating and supportive scientific atmosphere for the researchers at TSU through research development activities, seminar programs, journal club meetings, and research presentations. 4. Establish collaborative research efforts, and pursue exchange of technical capabilities with investigators at TSU and other research-intensive universities;and by attending technology workshops. In the previous year, the activities of MBTE core facility, through the technical and hands-on research support services, and instrumentation to the research investigators at TSU have resulted in significant outcomes. The facility provided support for a total of 26 projects, which resulted in: 12 abstract presentations; 7 publications; and 5 proposals, of which one is pending, two are not funded and two are in preparation for resubmission. Additionally, the MBTE facility facilitated training and povided research resource support to four pharmaceutical sciencesis MS/PhD students. Furthermore, the MBTE core director and assistant director have established a total of ten collaborations within TSU (Drs. Rambis Chu, Mohammad Newaz, Kasturi Ranganna and Zivar Yousefipour) and outside TSU (Drs. Frank M. Yatsu, UT Health Science Center, Houston, Bruce Hammock, and Christopher Morisseau from University of California, Davis, CA, and Philip Schwartz, Children's Hospital of Orange County, University of California, Irvine, CA, Basalingappa Hungund, Columbia University, NY and Betsy Southerland, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY.